Monk's Travels

Book excerpt: Anne Tyler wrote a novel called The Accidental Tourist about a man who is forced to travel but does not want to have any new experiences...My goal on my trips has been just the opposite: not to do anything too foolish, but to be open to an endless round of new experiences and possibilities." Father Edward Malloy never planned to share his trip diaries with readers throughout the world. Affectionately known as "Monk," the president of the University of Notre Dame just wanted to record where he went, what he saw, and whom he met along the way. But good reading attracts readers, and good travel writing takes those readers along on the journey. Both apply to Monk's Travels: People, Places, and Events. The book carries readers to destinations ranging from New York just after September 11, 2001, to Europe, the Mediterranean, Latin America, Africa, and the Far East. Monk meets and experiences the local residents and their customs. But he also comes in contact with some of the most notable personalities of our time: Presidents George H. W. and George W. Bush, Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II, and Taiwanese Premier Lien Chen and President Lee Teng-Hui. The author's reportage of these places and personages opens the world to readers of all faiths and interests. Monk's Travels shares its creator's personality, hopes, spirituality, and emotions. Wherever he goes, Monk sees who and what is going on around him. His eye for detail is sharp and his talent for recounting his visits reflects his long experience of speaking to wide and varied audiences. This is a book that will interest anyone who is curious about higher education, Catholicism, travel, and/or world events.